The CUET Humanities syllabus 2026 has been released by the NTA on its official website. Candidates preparing for the upcoming CUET 2026 exam are advised to refer to the syllabus as provided by the NTA. The syllabus forms the core part of the preparation, based on which the question paper will be set by the conducting authority.
CUET syllabus for Arts students deals with an understanding of the domain subjects, with analytical and aptitude knowledge in the humanities areas. The syllabus is designed as per the 12th NCERT curriculum to evaluate the candidates’ fundamental concepts of the subject they opted for.
This blog covers the CUET syllabus for humanities, chapter-wise weightage, pattern and books you should refer to for your preparation.
CUET Humanities Syllabus 2026 Overview
Before you explore the CUET humanities syllabus, have a look at the overview of the syllabus tabulated below.
| Particulars | Details |
| CUET Syllabus Released by | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Official Website | cuet.nta.nic.in |
| CUET Exam Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Exam Medium | 13 languages – English, Hindi, Urdu, Assamese, Bengali, Odia, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam |
| Total Number of Domain Subjects | 23 |
| Optional Subject | General Aptitude Test |
CUET Humanities Subjects List 2026
The following is the list of CUET Humanities subjects offered by the NTA.
| CUET Humanities Subjects List 2026 | |
| History | Political Science |
| Geography | Sociology |
| Psychology | Economics |
| Anthropology | Fine Arts/Visual Arts/Commercial Arts |
| Home Science | Knowledge Tradition- Practices in India |
| Mass Media/Mass Communication | Performing Arts (Dance, Drama, Music) |
| Physical Education | Sanskrit |
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CUET Humanities Syllabus 2026 (Subject-Wise)
The CUET Humanities syllabus 2026 has been mentioned below. The CUET humanities syllabus is based on the 12th standard and aims to evaluate the basic understanding and analytical reasoning of the students. Check out the subject-wise syllabus provided below:
CUET Arts Syllabus for History
The CUET arts syllabus for History deals with Indian history extensively. The syllabus is designed to check students’ understanding of history from ancient times up to the making of the Constitution. Some of the major topics included are as follows:
- Harappan Civilisation and Archaeology
- The Cultural Development of the History of Buddhism and Jainism
- The Mughal Empire
- Colonialism and Rural Society
- Revolt of 1857
- The National Movements and the Making of the Constitution.
CUET Arts Syllabus for Political Science
Students who have opted for Political Science need to focus on two units: Political in India Since Independence and Contemporary World Politics. The major sub-topics that you should cover are as follows:
- The concept of Nation- Building and its Approach
- India’s External Relation
- Challenge to and Restoration of the Congress System
- Disintegration of the Second World War and the Collapse of Bipolarity
- South Asia in the Post-Cold War Era
- International Organisation in a Unipolar World
- Globalisation and its Critics
CUET Arts Syllabus for Geography
The CUET Geography syllabus primarily deals with Human Geography in general and with Indian resources, settlements and transport in particular. Some key topics are provided below:
- Human Geography-Nature and Scope
- Transport, Communication and Trade
- Resources and Development
- Transport, Communication and International Trade
- Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues and Problems
CUET Arts Syllabus for Sociology
The CUET Sociology syllabus consists of two sections, which are further subdivided into various units. These sections cover various theories, basic sociological concepts and social movements of India. The topics you need to study are:
- The Structure of Indian Society
- Social Institutions
- Social Inequality and Exclusion
- Process of Social Change in India
- The Challenges of Unity in Diversity
- Social Change and the Economy
- New Arenas of Social Change
- Social Movements
CUET Arts Syllabus for Psychology
The Psychology syllabus provided by the NTA CUET consists of six units that focus on psychological attributes, different therapeutic approaches, psychological disorders, etc. Key areas are mentioned below:
- Variation in Psychological Attributes
- Self and Personality
- Meeting Life Challenges
- Psychological Disorders
- Therapeutic Approaches
- Attitude and Social Cognition
- Social Influences and Group Processes
CUET Arts Syllabus for Economics
CUET syllabus for Economics covers microeconomics, macroeconomics and economic development in India. You need to cover the basics as well as various theories under each section. Have a look at some key topics you need to study:
- Theory of consumer behaviour
- Production and Cost
- Money and Banking
- Open Economy Macroeconomics
- Economic Reforms Since 1991
- Current Challenges Facing the Indian Economy
CUET Arts Syllabus for Home Science
The Home Science syllabus as prescribed by the NTA covers comprehensive topics on career options, nutrition, family studies, apparel, and resource management. The syllabus covers the practical application of home science along with life skills for career building. Check out the topics included in the syllabus mentioned below:
- Work, Livelihood and Career
- Nutrition, Food Science and Technology
- Human Development and Family Studies
- Fabric and Apparel
- Resource Management
- Communication and Extension
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CUET Humanities Syllabus for Language Section
NTA has included 13 Indian languages such as Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Punjabi and more. The language will be judged through reading comprehension, vocabulary and literary aptitude. The detailed syllabus of each language subject is provided below.
Section I: Languages (English and Other Languages)
Each language subject will have the following two sections.
Reading Comprehension
The question paper will have 3 passages, each of 300 words. The passages will be based on the following areas.
- Factual
- Narrative
- Literary
Verbal Ability
Students’ verbal ability will be tested through the following sections:
- Rearranging the parts
- Match the following
- Choosing the correct word
- Synonyms and Antonyms
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CUET Humanities Syllabus for General Test
The CUET General Aptitude test is not compulsory for all. But any students opting for the general aptitude paper need to study the following sections:
- General knowledge and Current Affairs
- General mental ability and numerical ability
- Reasoning (Simple application of basic mathematical concepts: Quantitative arithmetic/algebra, geometry/mensuration/statistics)
- Logical and analytical reasoning
- General science and environmental literacy.
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CUET Arts Exam Pattern 2026
CUET Arts exam pattern includes total marks, number of sections in each subject, duration of the test and question paper format. The exam pattern is the same across all the subjects included in the CUET UG. The detailed CUET 2026 exam pattern is mentioned below:
| Particulars | Details |
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test |
| Question Format | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| CUET UG sections | Section 1 – Language Section 2 – Domain Subject Section 3 – General Aptitude Test |
| Total number of Questions | 50 across all subjects |
| Total Marks | 250 for each subject |
| Negative Marking | Yes |
| Marking Scheme | +5 for each correct answer-1 for each incorrect answer |
| Number of domain Subjects | 23 |
| Number of Language Subjects | 13 languages – English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu |
CUET Arts Subject Weightage Chapter Wise 2026
For a more efficient and strategic study, students preparing for CUET UG 2026 must focus on high-weightage topics. To help you know the number of questions asked in each section, we have provided the subject-wise weightage based on the previous years’ question paper analysis.
CUET Chapter-wise Weightage for History
As per the previous years’ analysis, you can expect a high number of questions in the case study sections, followed by An Imperial Capital and others. Check the chapter-wise weightage given below.
| Topics | Expected number of questions |
| 2 Case studies | 5 in each |
| An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara | 3-4 |
| Kings and Chronicles | 3-4 |
| The Mughal Courts | 3-4 |
| Framing the Constitution | 2-3 |
| Thinkers, Beliefs, and Buildings: Cultural Developments | 2-3 |
| Bhakti-Sufi Traditions | 2-3 |
CUET Chapter-wise Weightage for Political Science
In Political Science, the maximum number of questions is usually asked from Recent Developments in Indian Politics and Challenges to the Congress System. The complete breakdown is tabulated below.
| Topics | Expected Number of Questions |
| Recent Developments in Indian Politics | 8-9 |
| Challenges to the Congress System | 5 |
| The End of Bipolarity | 2-3 |
| Cold War Era | 3-4 |
| US Hegemony in World Politics | 2-3 |
| Alternative centres of Power | 2-3 |
| Contemporary South Asia | 2-3 |
| International Organizations | 2-3 |
| Security in the Contemporary World | 2-3 |
| Globalisation | 2-3 |
| Environment and Natural Resources | 2-3 |
CUET Chapter-wise Weightage for Psychology
The high-weightage topics in Psychology include Psychological Disorders and Therapeutic Approaches. You can expect around 5 to 6 questions from each section. Other important topics are listed below.
| Topics | Expected Number of Questions |
| Psychological Disorders | 5-6 |
| Therapeutic Approaches | 5-6 |
| Meeting Life Challenges | 5 |
| Self and Personality | 2-3 |
| Variations in Psychological Attributes | 1-2 |
| Attitude and Social Cognition | 1-2 |
| Social Influence and Group Processes | 1-2 |
| Psychology and Life | 1-2 |
| Developing Psychological Skills | 1-2 |
Chapter-wise Weightage for Geography
The following are the chapter-wise weightages for Geography. Note that, as per the question paper analysis, Human Activities and People: One Case Study are the most important chapters with the maximum number of questions asked every year.
| Topics | Expected Number of Questions |
| People: One case study | 7-8 |
| Human Activities | 7-8 |
| Transport, Communication & Trade | 4-5 |
| Human settlements | 2-3 |
| Resources and Development | 2-3 |
| Transport, Communication and International Trade | 2-3 |
| Geographical Perspective on Selected Issues and Problems | 3-4 |
| Map work | 5 |
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Find the latest CUET subject-wise syllabus below:
| CUET Business Studies Syllabus | CUET Economics Syllabus |
| CUET Chemistry Syllabus | CUET Commerce Syllabus |
| CUET General Test Syllabus | CUET Science Syllabus |
Best Books for CUET Humanities Preparation
Referring to standard books will provide you with clarity and the required information needed to crack the exam, like the CUET. You can refer to the following books for the CUET Humanities subject.
| CUET Humanities Subjects | Recommended Books |
| History | • NCERT Class 12 Textbook for History • CUET (UG) History Guide by Arihant Experts • India’s Ancient Past by R.S. Sharma • CUET History Practice Papers by GKP |
| Geograpgy | • NCERT Class 12 Textbook for Geography • Geography: A Comprehensive Study Guide by Mahesh Kumar Barnwal • Go To Guide for CUET (UG) Geography/Geology by Disha Publication • Indian and World Geography by R. C. Mukherjee |
| General Aptitude | • Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Examination by RS Agarwal • General Knowledge by Arihant • Shortcuts in Quantitative Aptitude for Competitive Exams by Disha Experts • Analytical Reasoning and Logical Reasoning by Arihant Publication • Disha’s Rapid General Knowledge by Disha Experts |
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Preparation Tips for CUET Humanities Exam 2026
The CUET is a highly competitive exam that requires a strategic approach to qualify for the exam with a good score. Here we have listed a few preparation strategies that you may use in your plan.
- Initially, you should check the CUET pattern and syllabus of the current session.
- Get hold of previous years’ question papers and analyse each section to understand the weightage.
- Make a list of books you need for the preparation. You can refer to books recommended by toppers and subject experts.
- Make a study routine and follow it diligently. A proper timetable will help you stay consistent and provide balanced coverage of each subject or section.
- You should make notes of the important topics and revise daily or weekly, depending on your strength.
- Solve sample papers and appear for the CUET mock tests to evaluate your performance.
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CUET Humanities Syllabus PDF Download
You can download the CUET syllabus for humanities provided here.
| CUET Humanities Subject List | Download CUET Humanities Syllabus PDF |
| CUET History Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Geography Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Political Science Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Psychology Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Sociology Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Sanskrit Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Fine Arts/Visual Arts/Commercial Arts Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Home Science Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Knowledge Tradition-Practices in India Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Mass Media/Mass Communication Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Performing Arts (Dance, Drama, Music) Syllabus | Check Here |
| CUET Physical Education (Yoga, Sports) Syllabus | Check Here |
CUET Humanities Syllabus 2026 FAQs
Ans. Yes, Humanities students can apply for the CUET 2026 exam. They can choose any Arts subjects irrespective of the subjects they studied in the 12th standard.
Ans. The total mark for each CUET Humanities subject is 250. There will be 50 questions, and each question carries 5 marks.
Ans. The CUET History syllabus includes various themes in Indian History. Some of the key chapters are the Vijayanagara Empire, Kings and Chronicles, the Mughal Empire, the framing of the Constitution and Bhakti-Sufi traditions.
Ans. The CUET English syllabus includes two sections- Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability. The reading comprehension section consists of 3 passages, each of 300 words. The verbal ability section includes antonyms and synonyms, rearranging the parts, matching the following, and choosing the correct word.
Ans. CUET Arts students must check the syllabus prescribed by the NTA first. The syllabus will give them an idea about the key chapters to cover for the exam. Go through the pattern and previous years’ question papers to understand the marking scheme, weightage of each section and types of questions asked in the exam. Make a structured timetable and follow it regularly. At last, take mock tests to know where you stand and work on the areas you need to improve.
Ans. There are 12 subjects included in CUET Humanities. Along with these, there are 13 language subjects and a General Aptitude test. Students can take up to 5 subjects, including a language and General Aptitude paper.
Ans. CUET Humanities books depend on the subject you choose. However, for fundamental knowledge, you should refer to NCERT books followed by standard books recommended by toppers and experts.
